Syracuse

A descendant of Hercules, one Archia Bacchiadi originally from Corinth, founded the town on the islet / promontory Ortygia in 734 BCE. It remained Greek for over 500 years becoming the richest Greek city and centre of trade and culture; Plato taught philosophy and maths here in 400 BCE and Archimedes was born here in 287. Most of that city no longer exists though.
That was before the Romans came in 212 and nabbed it. They came behind the fascia of Legions, so we're early fascists and, like fascists, moved the art treasures of the city to Rome for 'safe keeping'. In 535 CE they lost the place to the Byzantines, in turn ousted by the Arabs in 878, then: the Normans in 1100; the Souabes in the 13thC; the Anjous whose rapacity is commemorated in the 'Sicilian Vespers'; Spanish from the XIV to the XVIII th C, (both Aragon and Catalan flavours,); and finally the Bourbons before joining the new Italian nation in 1861. Truly, a city with a past.

The Spanish decided to use most of the available Greek and Roman stonework to fortify Ortygia so much has been lost. All that remains of the largest altar in the world, (at least the Greek world,) is the foundation cut into the rock substrata, (so no photo!) The Altar of Hieron II (270-215 BCE) was 200m long and 35m wide, capable of sacrificing 100 oxen at a time during the City Festivals (according to historian Hecatombes sp?) Actually, it was more like a huge banquet, since only the entrails were favoured by the gods so the population as a whole fed off the meat. Sort of like a giant McD.

The island is a short bridge from the mainland but has its own city gate.
Sculptures really should have explanations for philistines like me. It was stuck on the corner of a bank, if that helps..
Most of the town seems relatively new. Here is the war memorial shaped like a biscuit tin.Read more